AIBU in agreeing with the NASUWT that masks should be worn in schools by over 11s?

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/28/unions-call-for-teachers-in-england-to-be-able-to-wear-face-masks

Given that they have to be worn almost everywhere else indoors by over 11s it would be the right thing to do. Adults working in schools have as much right to be protected as bus drivers and shop workers.

So AIBU in agreeing with the NASUWT that masks should be worn in schools by over 11s?

Nat6999

The way that we have had to construct our schools day to work with the fucking stupid idea of bubbles, the one way system around the school to reduce numbers in corridors, and to enable other stupid guidance + all the extra hand sanitising and washing our lesson time is going to be approximately 40 - 45 minutes.

Why aren't schools compressing the school day to limit exposure time?

Do you mean, why would the government specifically forbid schools to implement any safety measures that shortened the learning time in any way?

@Nat6999 Why aren't schools compressing the school day to limit exposure time?

The government has prevented Heads from shortening teaching time at all. It's all children back full time, with no funding to mitigate the risk.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion

It's bad enough they are made to wear ridiculous uncomfortable uniforms like mini office workers,

And now we know which type of parent you are, So that makes it difficult to take you seriously as well.

@runbummyrun because very few people are. London is deserted as everyone working at home. Just out of interest how many people in your office at any one time ? And how far apart do you all keep ?

Although wearing masks sounds a good idea for secondary school children it isn’t straight forward. I’m not an expert but have some clinical knowledge apart from them wearing them correctly and not constantly touching and moving them there would be the bigger issue of ensuring the masks are changed throughout the day - many of these face covering have a limited life span and then it would be how to safely dispose of the used masks. You wouldn’t them in their school bags with their other belongings or in the standard school waste bins. It could be advantageous to wear them but would need quite a bit of time and effort to instigate.

@DonnaDonna01 it doesn't though. We have done it the last 4 weeks and was very easy. Kids had a plastic bag for masks and changed them every hour. Took them off when outside. Sanitised hands before and after removal. No issues at all.

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion Why not actually take a survey on that? Go ahead. You ask all the children. That'll be meaningful.

The survey was of teachers, who are actually adults in the workplace, which is quite different from children receiving their compulsory education. Adults make decisions for children all the time, and just because it might not suit a child's preference doesn't stop it from being good parenting or teaching.

We are not China or Hong Kong. We have a different culture entirely and a different schooling system

Granted, but the virus doesn't know that.

@runbummyrun I really am interested. I don't know anyone outside the NHS who is back 'normally' so interested as to how your company have managed it.

It may not be most, but it's still a really large proportion. Can't really have a clear picture until every teacher has had a say though can we

Do you need the concept of sampling explaining to you?

It's bad enough they are made to wear ridiculous uncomfortable uniforms like mini office workers, but now people want to make them wear masks too.

Do you want someone to explain the difference between a school uniform and wearing a mask during a global pandemic?

It’s not the sort of thing that should really be decided by polls though (although you were the one who claimed that teachers didn’t want it), and the government should really explain why their Covid-secure guidelines which apply to all other workplaces shouldn’t apply to schools because at the moment it seems to be because they don’t want to spend money on education.

Like they didn’t want to spend money on free school meals and had to be shamed into it.

@TheHoneyBadger there is no scientific fact about the population of England or the population of secondary schools In England Wearing masks. It’s never been done and so it can’t be measured on this scale and especially not with school children.
Scientific advice and government advice has been the biggest croc of shit during this that I have ever seen. It’s like the Hokey Cokey. It does, it doesn’t, yes, no, put it on, take it off, stay in but go out. To me and to an awful lot of other people it looks like none has a f*ing clue. I have a little more confidence in adults wearing them in shops etc but teens and pre teens no. Of course there are sensible and responsible teens but many think they are invincible and have little regard for others especially older adults sadly. Even if they are fairly nice kids- teens and being responsible 7 hours a day 5 days a week is just unrealistic. And unless the masks are used all the time in their bubbles there is little point? It’s just my opinion that the negatives of them outweighs the tiny risks and the positives

And now we know which type of parent you are, So that makes it difficult to take you seriously as well.

And now I know which kind of parent you are. One that forces their children to blindly follow rules. Luckily my kids don't go to a school where they care so much about uniform, they just care about learning, and the childrens comfort. Plenty of countries don't have uniform. The children learn perfectly well.
I see that's the only part of my entire post you picked up on though. You done?

I’m not saying it isn’t doable but it isn’t straight forward particularly in secondary when pupils are moving between classes and teachers. How would a teacher know they needed to change their mask and how can you monitor where they put used masks when walking between lessons and break/lunchtime. You will always get pupils who will follow rules to the letter and then their are others who will do anything but.

@Time2change2 and your opinion is as valued as anyones. So in your classes they don't wear masks but in mind they do. Students will be fine with it. I've done it, they managed fine. No one was traumatised or deprived of oxygen.

@Doryhunky

My dc is partially deaf and relies on lip reading

Mine too and see through masks are not a solution because they mist up and they muffle sound. Might as well tell deaf kids not to bother turning up to school because their education just doesn't matter anymore.

@TheHoneyBadger no the middle class comment wasn't aimed at you.

@mumsneedwine it was aimed at you. I won't be able to deliver teams lessons to students in school because they'll be in school!! There is no solution where I am "safe" and I can hear the students. I'd feel safer being able to hear them correctly and I'm happy to take the risk with corona. I fully appreciate not everyone feels this way. I don't want masks in my classroom, you are welcome to insist on them if the government allow. (We have no sewing machines in school and like fuck would I be giving up my summer to make them!)

Might as well tell deaf kids not to bother turning up to school because their education just doesn't matter anymore.

This

And deaf staff :(

Go ahead. You ask all the children. That'll be meaningful.

Obviously not, because children don't have brains?

@Hercwasonaroll I meant use Teams in class. Kids can access it on their phones and you can direct questions and kids can answer via the chat function. I tried it in class and it worked well.
I agree we should not make masks, but our textiles dept and anyone who can see has been making scrubs. That should not have been necessary either but NHS didn't have enough, so we did it.
Cash to provide masks would be lovely but not going to happen.

I was in a shop today, and a girl was struggling to do a simple return because she was so distracted by the mask. She actually said these things make everything so much harder. That was her doing something she new perfectly well how to do, but she couldn't focus properly because she had probably had it on for about 4 hours straight, and we expect children to go to school and concentrate enough to be able to learn new things?

@Hercwasonaroll also I am so far from middle class, as is my school. Our head has been delivering FSM made by our kitchen. Again should not be necessary, but was.

Herc, we usually make rules based on what is manageable for the general population and then have workarounds or exemptions for those that cannot manage.

This is something that should be risk-assessed and solutions come up with (like a lift or ground floor classrooms and ramps for wheelchair users). Not the entire concept binned.

Hey @Hercwasonaroll I get you no really do. I too am hearing impaired but with hearing aides. I do worry about how I’m going to cope in Sept.

However, I am fully behind mask wearing for most (if not all secondary students).

I have a cunning plan. I wear a clear face visor so any hearing impaired kids can still lip read and any student who wants to speak to me can write their question in their book.

We also have iPads so I might use the Teams chat function to allow them to ask questions.

It is a bit awkward but there are ways round it. I would rather that than be freaking out constantly about having accidentally gotten too close to a child. It will be impossible if we can’t walk round and look at what they are writing.

No I think YABU, on the basis that I struggled to order a sandwich in a mask as the person serving couldn't hear what I was saying, I can't see how it could be practical for a day of lessons. If further steps are needed to reduce the risk to teachers it should be done by reducing class sizes IMO, with more independent learning at home or via online lessons.